Electric blue Jack Dempsey Breeding (brine shrimp feeding)

[CTC]

Hello,

I am currently working on an Electric Blue Jack Dempsey breeding project. I have a spawn of around 200 fry that are about 3 weeks old.

I am feeding baby brine shrimp and have noticed that despite 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and low nitrate, the brood is begging in to turn pale, lethargic, and not eating.

I am injecting the brine shrimp mix directly into the tank and am wondering if the salinity from the mix might be causing the issue. I have been told that with the small amount added from the mix this is likely not the case. But maybe I should start straining the BBB?

This same issue has happened in the past with different fry (it is not a weak EBJD thing) so I’m wondering why I am unable to raise past 1 month.

There are many things to troubleshoot. SO THE MAIN QUESTION IS, can adding small amounts of salt through BBB feedings cause fry to turn pale, lethargic, and lose their appetite?

 

[tlindsey]

the salinity from the mix might be causing the issue. I have been told that with the small amount added from the mix this is likely not the case. But maybe I should start straining the BBB?

Yes very possible strain and rinse or dip brine shrimp net.
I personally reared convict fry with decapsulated brine shrimp eggs.

 

[CTC]

Yes very possible strain and rinse or dip brine shrimp net.
I personally reared convict fry with decapsulated brine shrimp eggs.

I am going to start straining and rinsing, thank you. However the other concern is that it is due to high chloramines in my water. I heat fresh water in coolers for at least 24 hours before adding to the tanks. I recently added bubblers to the coolers to help with kicking out chlorine and nitrogen and switched from aqueon conditioner to Seachem Prime in order to tackle that issue if it was chloramines.

 

[fishdance]

Small amounts of salt won't hurt fish fry. It sounds like your experiencing microscopic parasitic protozoa (which can kill your fish) created from overfeeding artemia and not cleaning up afterwards. Lethargy and gradual deaths are typical symptoms. Do you have biofilm or protein buildup? Often visible hydra develop at later stages too.

Feed less artemua quantity but watch all fish stomachs get filled, you may have to feed more frequently each day.

If fish fry are large enough, add some safe cleaners - snails, cherry shrimp, etc. Siphon clean the tank bottom between feeds.

It's very easy to use an artemia net to rinse salt off. I make my own shallow seives by sandwiching 100 micron cloth between 100mm pipe fitting. Then cut to 50mm wall height.

 

[CTC]

Small amounts of salt won't hurt fish fry. It sounds like your experiencing microscopic parasitic protozoa (which can kill your fish) created from overfeeding artemia and not cleaning up afterwards. Lethargy and gradual deaths are typical symptoms. Do you have biofilm or protein buildup? Often visible hydra develop at later stages too.

Feed less artemua quantity but watch all fish stomachs get filled, you may have to feed more frequently each day.

If fish fry are large enough, add some safe cleaners - snails, cherry shrimp, etc. Siphon clean the tank bottom between feeds.

It's very easy to use an artemia net to rinse salt off. I make my own shallow seives by sandwiching 100 micron cloth between 100mm pipe fitting. Then cut to 50mm wall height.

interesting. Is there anyway to treat the tanks besides reducing feeding? I did notice that the large 65gallon parent tank that has gravel has more fry dying than the small 10 gallon tank that I moved most fry to.

I do have what I have thought to be detritus worms. They are small, pure white, and sometimes can be seen wiggling in the water column like a snake. Is it possibly those causing the issue? I thought they were harmless.

 

[CTC]

interesting. Is there anyway to treat the tanks besides reducing feeding? I did notice that the large 65gallon parent tank that has gravel has more fry dying than the small 10 gallon tank that I moved most fry to.

I do have what I have thought to be detritus worms. They are small, pure white, and sometimes can be seen wiggling in the water column like a snake. Is it possibly those causing the issue? I thought they were harmless.

I also noticed this stringy white poop on one of the fry.

 

[CTC]

I also noticed this stringy white poop on one of the fry.

View attachment 1511195

And here is also a picture of one of them in the water column. It is wiggle swimming rather violently through the water.

 

[fishdance]

There are good and bad organisms that take advantage of surplus food supply.

The fish in your photo don't need artemia anymore, they are capable of eating ordinary fish food. The size of a fishes eye is a crude estimation of their mouth gape if your trying to size or grind dry foods. Floating or very slow sinking food is easier to monitor and remove if your struggling with food amounts. Stomach bulges and seeing fish poo is good.

 

[CTC]

There are good and bad organisms that take advantage of surplus food supply.

The fish in your photo don't need artemia anymore, they are capable of eating ordinary fish food. The size of a fishes eye is a crude estimation of their mouth gape if your trying to size or grind dry foods. Floating or very slow sinking food is easier to monitor and remove if your struggling with food amounts. Stomach bulges and seeing fish poo is good.

I was told to feed them BBB for the first 6-8 weeks. They are currently only free swimming for just under 2 weeks…

when I do switch to a pellet, do you recommend any brands?

 

[tlindsey]

I was told to feed them BBB for the first 6-8 weeks

I personally feed BBS for 2 weeks. Also suggest allowing some algae or adding plants to the fry tank if you (don't have time) to feed several times a day. I've observed kribensis, EBA, and Convict fry all graze on plants and algae after feeding. Also noticed grazing off sponge filter.